NRL: Waerea-Hargreaves to fight one game ban

The Sydney Roosters will risk long-term pain for short-term relief by contesting the ban threatening to rub Jared Waerea-Hargreaves out of Saturday night's NRL qualifying final against Manly.

Waerea-Hargreaves copped a grade one dangerous contact charge for his raised forearm into the throat of South Sydney's Chris McQueen in last Friday's minor premiership decider at ANZ Stadium.

In a delicious irony for Sea Eagles fans, he was facing a one-game ban even with an early guilty plea thanks to the carry-over points from a five-match ban Waerea-Hargreaves received for a high tackle on Manly's George Rose in round nine.

Without carry-over points, Waerea-Hargreaves would have been right to play against the Sea Eagles at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night with an early plea.

But desperate to shore up a pack already without the injured Boyd Cordner, the Roosters will put it all on the line by contesting the charge at what could be a dramatic night at Rugby League Central on Tuesday.

It is believed the Roosters will argue there was no intent in Waerea-Hargreaves' actions, with suggestions first contact was with McQueen's chest.

But the risk is great for the Roosters given a guilty finding could have the potential for carry-over points to again cause major damage during the latter stages of the finals.

Whereas an early guilty plea would have left Waerea-Hargreaves with a one-game ban and eight carry-over points, a guilty verdict at the NRL judiciary would saddle him with 38 points.

That would mean even the most minor indiscretion would cost the Roosters' forward leader another one-game ban later in the finals - in a worse case scenario robbing him of a grand final appearance for the most innocuous of incidents.

Speaking before learning of Waerea-Hargreaves' charge, Rosters captain Anthony Minichiello was hoping for the best.

"I'm hoping he can be there,'' Minichiello said.

"He said it himself - there was no intent in it, so let's hope he can get off that.

Asked how big a blow it would be to lose him against a Manly pack known for its size and intimidation, Minichiello said:

"He's important, there's no doubt about that.

"He's one of our front row leaders there.

"He carts the ball up very strongly for us, he's been doing it all year.